What would you be pushing at the meetings? No-touch icing? Removal of the trapezoid? Reinstatement of the red line? Change to overtime? 3 points for a regulation win?Posted by 49-North

The Stupidzoid -GONE!!

Have 5 min of 4 on 4, then 5 min of 3 on 3 before shootout. Loser gets NO POINTS!

Give the game back to the referee's. Let them look at the goals to see if they counted or not. The War room only provides the best views to the ref.

Coach's challenge- Each coach gets one per game. This of course is considered the teams time-out. Unless the coach who made the challenge is right, then the time-out is still intact. Perfect example is the blown icing call in the Islander's game.

I would have power plays last the full allotted minutes even when the pp team scores. Players would be less likely to take penalties and it increases scoring reducing the number of shootout game situations.

I would change how points are allotted. No more tie points, only two points a game.

No touch icing needs to be done.

Broduer is near retirement so get rid of the trapezoid.

Delay of game penalties should be called at the discretion of the referees.

No touch icing. It's one of the last leagues in the world that has this idiotic rule. Too many players getting hurt for no good reason. At the very least bring in the hybrid rule.

Get rid of the charity point like NAS said. It was brought in to eliminate teams playing for the tie in OT and force them to push for the win. But with the shootout now (which I don't mind as much as other posters) the extra point is obsolete since a win is always given out.

Also I'd review rule 12.3 which says " All elbow pads which do not have a soft protective outer covering of sponge rubber or similar material at least one-half inch thick shall be considered dangerous equipment."Start enforcing that rule, and perhaps increase it to one inch thick, and then apply the same standards to the shoulder pads. The GM's say they are looking at rules to decrease injuries, and this would be possibly the most effective way of doing that without majorly impacting the actual in game play.

In Response to If you were an NHL GM... : No touch icing is something I've been calling for over the years. Enough of the pointless injuries. I like the trapeziod. Goalies belong in the crease. I don't think they should even be able to go below the goal line. People have been citing the removal of the red line as a direct cause of concussions. I don't see it. I see hits to the head as a direct cause, but not "too much speed due to no red line". Yes, change OT. 5x5 for 5, 4x4 for 5, 3x3 for five, 2x2 for five. Tie. Yes, change the charity point. You should never, ever, ever prosper from losing. Congrats, 49, this is the first thing I've ever seen you post that was interesting.Posted by Not-A-Shot

I agree on all points except for the trapezoid.

Nothing more fun than a goalie going out for a casual evening stroll over into a corner when all of a sudden all kinds of interesting hockey plays can evolve.

No touch icing. It's one of the last leagues in the world that has this idiotic rule. Too many players getting hurt for no good reason. At the very least bring in the hybrid rule. Get rid of the charity point like NAS said. It was brought in to eliminate teams playing for the tie in OT and force them to push for the win. But with the shootout now (which I don't mind as much as other posters) the extra point is obsolete since a win is always given out. Also I'd review rule 12.3 which says " All elbow pads which do not have a soft protective outer covering of sponge rubber or similar material at least one-half inch thick shall be considered dangerous equipment." Start enforcing that rule, and perhaps increase it to one inch thick, and then apply the same standards to the shoulder pads. The GM's say they are looking at rules to decrease injuries, and this would be possibly the most effective way of doing that without majorly impacting the actual in game play.Posted by red75

How about making helmets, what's the word I'm looking for - effective?

At least no touch icing in the final 2 minutes. At least. Currently a team that ices the puck when the goalie is pulled gets time off the clock on the icing. Not right.

I'd be at least willing to see the hybrid icing in play at the NHL level. I'm in favour of keeping the play going, rather than stopping it dead with the auto no-touch option.

I would get rid of the trapezoid. A goalie is a player, and there should be no restrictions on where he plays the puck. However, if he plays the puck outside of the crease, then he becomes like every other player, and can be checked.

I think the red line is an advantage for skilled teams with good skaters, puckhandlers and passers. A good head fake here, a give-and-go there, and good teams will get through the neutral zone, and we'll see the end of the long-pass-tip-in.

I agree with so many people about the need to change OT. I'm in favour of the 5 min. 4-on-4, followed by 5 min. 3-on-3, then the shoot out as a last resort. I would also favour 20 min. of 4 on 4 for the playoffs, until the OT winner is scored.

In Response to Re: If you were an NHL GM... : How about making helmets, what's the word I'm looking for - effective? At least no touch icing in the final 2 minutes. At least. Currently a team that ices the puck when the goalie is pulled gets time off the clock on the icing. Not right.Posted by BadHabitude

True, but they're GM's not engineers. When better helmet designs come along, bring them in, but until someone invents it, there's nothing they can do. But the sponge rubber already exists, my shoulder pads have a 3/4 inch covering so I know for a fact they are made.

Especially the BACK of the helmet. I think there are just as many concussions caused by the the back of the head hitting the ice as there are from shoulders or elbows contacting the front/side of the head.

Especially the BACK of the helmet. I think there are just as many concussions caused by the the back of the head hitting the ice as there are from shoulders or elbows contacting the front/side of the head.Posted by 49-North

But like I said 49, that's a problem for engineers to tackle, not GM's.

The link I posted above is an example of something that could be immediately eliminated from the game and make a difference in safety.

BTW How'd you weather the storm? Barely even touched East Van unlike the rest of the region.

1) It's been a long journey for me, but I have finally come around on no-touch icing. Better for player safety and doesn't materially change the game.

2) Hate the trapezoid, get rid of it. If your goalie is good at handling the puck, let him use that skill. He should also be able to be "bumped" off the puck if he wants to try to handle it in traffic.

4) Eliminate the 1-piece composite stick in support of goalie health in response to the aforementioned #3. Also, nothing worse than seeing players stick fold up like a lawn chair making an outlet pass.

5) Eliminate the automatic penalty for shooting the puck out of the rink in your d-zone. Bad idea to penalize a guy for accidentally whacking the puck out of play, allow the refs to make a delay of game call at their discretion, similar to moving the net off the pegs.

6) Reduce shoulder and elbow pads on skaters. Take away some of the lethal element to this equipment in the name of player safety.

What would you be pushing at the meetings? No-touch icing? Removal of the trapezoid? Reinstatement of the red line? Change to overtime? 3 points for a regulation win?Posted by 49-North

No touch icinggo either way on trapezoid, but it should be called the Brodeur spaceKeep the red-line outOT I would do 5 mins of 4 on 4 then 5 of 3 on 3, it'll be over by thenNever "award" a team with anything for a loss.

I would also add something..I agree with the helmets, particuarly the back of them, great points there, but two things that would significanlty decrease concussions.

1. Do something about these shoulder pads/elbow most players wear today. They are weapon like, why is this not a bigger issue? I see hits that don't look violent or bad at all and players are getting concussions, to me, this is one of the biggest problems.

2. Get rid of the seamless glass. How many hits did Cam Neely throw in the old garden when the glass would give some and rattle back and forth. Do you klnow how many concussions he would give on this seamless non giving glass with the shoulder pads on today? Petr Svoboda would be a vegatable.

I'd be at least willing to see the hybrid icing in play at the NHL level. I'm in favour of keeping the play going, rather than stopping it dead with the auto no-touch option. I would get rid of the trapezoid. A goalie is a player, and there should be no restrictions on where he plays the puck. However, if he plays the puck outside of the crease, then he becomes like every other player, and can be checked. I think the red line is an advantage for skilled teams with good skaters, puckhandlers and passers. A good head fake here, a give-and-go there, and good teams will get through the neutral zone, and we'll see the end of the long-pass-tip-in. I agree with so many people about the need to change OT. I'm in favour of the 5 min. 4-on-4, followed by 5 min. 3-on-3, then the shoot out as a last resort. I would also favour 20 min. of 4 on 4 for the playoffs, until the OT winner is scored. Regulation win = 3 pts; OT/SO win = 2 pts; OT loss = 1 pt; SO loss = 0pts.Posted by 49-North

-I also like the hybrid icing. Let the refs quickly decide if there's a legitimate hustle play developing, and of course, no contact.

-I vehemently disagree re: the goalies. I played goal for over 35 years, and at least in the 70's you took your life in your own hands when handling the puck. There's a reason goalies are "not fair game" in the rulebook. A goaltender cannot protect himself in the event of a bodycheck. There is not upside to allowing goalies to get hurt handling the puck.

I think the trapazoid should go, because I think its affecting how defensemen are able to handle the puck behind the net and subsequently getting hit. However, if the concern is that the Brodeur/Turco/Mike Smiths dominate play too much... make all goalie use straight blade sticks. Ask a goalie- not using a curved stick diminished his ability to stickhandle at an enormous level.

I like 4x4, 3x3 in OT... but no points for any loss, ever.

I think any high potential injury producing play should be penalized aggressively. Players do not respect each other any more.

And no, no, no, NO on removing the red line. The game has improved dramatically in speed as is.

Getting unanamous on the "no touch icing" and I say hell yah as well! I like the suggestions out there for the extra time 4 on 4 for the first 5Mins of OT then 3 on 3 the last 5Mins. Keep the trapezoid "stay in your freakin net!" and keep the red line out of the game as it has increased one of the most exciting plays in all of sports the "breakaway". Agree with Crowles on the shoulder pads but will the manufactures lobby the NHL to keep the hard plastic (whatever other materials they use) in ? And for Pete's sake get rid of the "instigator rule" once and for all!Posted by SanDogBrewin

Like I noted above the manufaturers already make models with the sponge rubber coating, some as thick as an inch or more, so that shouldn't be an issue.

If I were some GM's in the league I would suggest the option to decline penalties on account of my team having an abysmal power play...Not mentioning any teams names but I'm sure there are several that could benefit from utilizing this coaching option.

Yes on no touch icing, agree with 49 on the trapezoid, no redline (torn but I like the speed), 5 0n 5 OT then shootout (exciting), no Charity point and last but not least...NEVER ban fighting from this league, if so you may as well change the name of the game too!